Saw palmetto has been used for hundreds of years by the Native Americans for symptoms of enlarged prostate.
The current evidence suggests that saw palmetto may work for reducing symptoms of enlarged prostate that include frequent urination, nighttime urinations, and incomplete bladder emptying.
Can saw palmetto shrink the size of the prostate?
No. Current evidence suggests that it does not decrease the size of the prostate.
Here is some more research about natural ways to control symptoms of enlarged prostate.
How does saw palmetto work for enlarged prostate?
The current evidence suggests it may shrink the inner lining of the tubes that help empty the bladder.
Another mechanism of saw palmetto is to prevent the hormone testosterone from being converted to a more active form called dihydrotesetosterone.
It does this by blocking an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase to prevent the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone.
You can read more here about research with saw palmetto.
His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.
Categories: Ask the Pharmacist, Plant Medicine, prostate